This study analyzes the real impacts of raising Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard - the policy mandating the percentage of the state’s electric generation capacity that must be provided by renewable power. The study, sponsored by the University of Michigan Energy Institute, analyzes several scenarios, detailing the changes to different power generation sources such as coal and natural gas, the environmental benefits to the state, and the associated costs under each.

Events

The trend in energy consumption analytics is to know how your building is operating - in real time. The data will be collected from building energy management systems (BEMS) and then analyzed in various ways to inform building owners and facility managers where exactly their buildings are using energy and how to then optimize energy performance. The more integrated the BEMS is with the HVAC, lighting, water, process and other building functions, the more costly and complicated systems will be. Balancing the cost of investment with the level of information desired must be considered as these systems get deployed in more and more buildings. Some systems have been installed for years; others are being developed with much anticipation from the promise of the Internet of Things. Join in this discussion as we look more closely at the development of building and home energy management systems. Moderated by Brindley Byrd.

Featured Faculty Profile

Shelie Miller’s research interests center around the life cycle impacts of energy. Recent work focuses on the non-carbon aspects of biofuels, such as disruptions to the nitrogen cycle and changes in land use. Interests also include advancing Life Cycle Assessment methods to analyze dynamic and emerging systems, such as the development of electric grids in developing countries. She teaches Environmental Systems Analysis at the graduate level and Ecological Issues at the undergraduate level.